Fender and fender shield construction



June 30, 1959 G. w. SCHATZMAN FENDER AND FENDER SHIELD CONSTRUCTION 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 21, 1955 he I1 [1:] T Geozye W. 50/242 fzzzzan [11. 75

June 30, 1959 G..w. SCHATZMAN 2,892,637

FENDER AND FENDER SHIELD CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet2 United States Patent daille Industries, Inc., Buffalo, N'.Y., acorporation of Michigan Application November 21, 1955, Serial No.547,889

9 Claims. (Cl. 280153) The present invention relates to improvements infender and fender skirt or shield assemblies. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to improvementsfin the construetion andmounting of a fender skirt or shield of a fender, and to the provisionof a multi-section skirt or shield adapted to cover part of the wheelaccess opening of a fender and to overlie a span of the fender portionadjacent the wheel access opening.

In the vehicle industry, and particularly in the automobile branchthereof, various means have been utilized to improve the appearance ofvehicle fenders. The usual vehicle fender is provided with an openingaffording access to the vehicle wheel, and peri'nitting ready removal orreplacement of the wheel in an axial direction. Since this openingpresents what is considered an unattractive outward a pearance, and inhigh speed operation is an air turbulence factor, detachable fendershields have been employed to cover the opening protectively and ornamentally.

As the term fender shield shall hereinafter be emloyed, it refers to anymember which is adapted to be secured to a' fender or other portion of avehicle body for the purpose of substantially covering the opening inthe fender or 'vehicle body andwhich opening is provided for access 'toor removal of a vehicle wheel.

As the term fender cover shall be hereinafter employed, it refers to anymember which is adapted to be secured in overlying relationship to aspan of a vehicle fender or other portion of a vehicle body adjacent awheel access opening thereof.

Furthermore, as the term fender shall hereinafter be employed, it refersto any form of wheel housing or fender in its broad sense, whether suchfender be separable from the 'vehiele body part, partly separable fromthe vehicle body part, or actually an integral part of the vehicle body,andwhether or notit projects outwardly from the principal body portionof the vehicle. 7

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel fender andfender shield assembly.

Another object is to provide a new and improved fender shield assemblyin which the fender shield is secured to the fender in a novel manner.

A further object is to provide a tender shield assembly having portionsthereof overlying the wheel access opening of a fender and alsooverlying a span of the fender adjacent such opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide a twosection fender-shieldassembly, one section being adapted to be permanently mounted to thefender-portion adjacent the wheel access opening thereof, and anothersection being adapted to be detachably secured to the fender and to theother shield section.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be readily apparent from the following description of anexemplary preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a fender and fendershield Construetion embodying the features of the present invention;

) Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the fender andfender shield construction shown in Figure 1, as viewed outwardly fromthe inside thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse cross 'sectional detail view takensubstantially on the line IIIIII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3, buttaken substantially on the line IV-IV of Figure 2; v

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3, buttaken substantially on the line VV of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional detail view taken substantial- 1y along the lineVI'-VI of Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the lineVII- -VII of Figure 2. A'n exemplary forth of the invention is shown inthe drawings, in conjunction with a fender 10 of the vehicle, the fenderhaving a wheel access opening 12. Inturned stiffening flanges 13 extendfrom marginal edges of the fender, that portion of the fender marginalflange 13 in the region of the wheel access opening being indicated at1311.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a fender shieldassembly Comprising a tender shield 14 gen-' erally overlying the wheelaccess opening 12 of the fender 10, and an associated fender cover 16generally overlying the span of the fender 1Q rearwardly adjacent thewheel acces opening. It should be noted that desirably a portion 17 ofthe fender cover '16 extends forwardly into the wheelae'ee'ss opening.

Desirably, the fender shield '14 and the fender cover 16 generally comrise sheet-metal panels stamped and formed to proyide the desiredconfiguration and appearance, Depending pon their color andconfiguration, which may be made contrasting With or co ordinated asdesired with the color and general styling of the fender 10 and adjacentportions of the vehicle body, the shield 14 and cover 16 can be rnade ifdesired to efiect a significant component in the appearance and style ofthe Vehicle. Adding to an appearance of integralness of the panels 14and 16, and providing pleasing lines and styling, and providing junctionwith the exposed surface of the fender '10, the forwardly facing marginof the fender shield 14 and the upper margins of the fender shield 14and fender Cover 16 are shown as provided with an arcua'tely-forinedmarginal bead 14a and 1611, res ectively.

Stiltening beads or flanges and the like may desirably be provided foreach of the anels 14 and 16. In the embodiment illustrated, stiffeningbeads are provided "by the beads Nit-+1621 just described. Moreover, forstiffening and other purposes more fully evident hereinafter, marginaledges of oath of the panels 14 and 16 are inwardl'y turned. In thedrawings such flanges 'of the fender shield panel 14 and fender coverpanel 16 are denoted 14b, 14c, 14d, and 14'e, and 16b, 16c, 16d, and16s, re speetivel'y, the subscripts b, c, d, and e in each case denotinthe flanges respectively alon the forward, rearward, upper, and lowerpanel edges. The inwardly turned rear- Ward flange 16's of the fendercover 16 desirably is ex tended to 'wrap around the rear of fender 10,inwardly of the car bumper 18.

Means are provided for permanently securing the fender Cover 16 to thefender portion rearwardl'y of the wheel access opening 12. As shown,such means cornprise a series of fastener elements 20 extending along{the upper edge of the cover 16, a series of fastener elements 22extending along the lower end rearward edges or the cover 16, and afasteningmeans connecting the front The fastener elements 20 aredesirably concealed from observance IQm t e, outside of the fenden.Thus, the in ma ina fla se of el-wr' l il sr v sd with a longitudinallyspacedseries'of openings 28 adapted. to receivethe shanks ,of afastening member such as screws or bolts3l1 extending through the flangeopenings 28 and through alignedyopenings 32 provided in'the fender 10.Means such as a lock washer 34 and nut 36 maintain such fastenersinsecured condition. Desirably, the head 38 of screw 30 is enlarged toprovide a broad; bearing surface for holding thecover .16 tightlyagainst thefenderli). t b

The fastening means 22 provided for holding the loweri and rearwardportions of the cover 16 to the fender 10' may for example be bolts orscrews which passthrough aligned openings suitably provided in thejuxtaposed flanges provided by the stifiening flange 13 of thefender 10and by' the lower stiffeningflange 16s of the coyer 1 6: and of the rearwrap-around portion 16%; of the cover 16.

pbltion the t6 the fender portion defining the v For maintaining theupper portion of the fender shield "#14 in assembled rel'ationwith thefender IIKthesecuring means 54 desirably comprises the latchingmechanism shown, and may be generally as shown in my prior US Patent2,334,867, issued November 23, 1943. Latching mechanism 54 thuscomprises a vertical strut 70 preferably formed from appropriate'gaugesheet metal mounted vertically at approximately the center of the fendershield panel 14, the strut shown as having an upper terminal flangeportion'72: engaging'behind the fiange114d extending downwardly fromthe" upper edge of the=marginal bead 14a of the fender shield 14. At itslower end, the

strut 70- is preferably secured to, thelower marginal portion of thefender 14, and for this purpose has an angular inwardly extending footflange 74 which lies along the inturned lower flange 14e of the fendershield, where it is held as by rivets 7 6. For a substantial portion ofits v height, the strut illispreferably reinforcedby means, of

. The fastening means 24 which secures the cover 16 t0 t thefender-flange llaa defining the wheel access opening 12 is shown as afastener such as a bolt means 40 extending between that fenderfiange 13aand a, bracket 42 secured as by welding 44 to the inturned fiange 16b atthe forward edge of the cover 16. Bracket 42 may be desirably made as asheetmetal stamping. The fender shield 14, which generally covers thewheel access opening 12 of the fender 10, is provided with means forreleasably securing it in suchposition, where by; it may be readilyreleased to obtain :full accessto. the wheel. As shown, such securingmeans desirably in: cludesvmeans tosecure the fender shield. 14 bothtothe, fenderlfl and tofthe fender cover .16. The fender shield 14 isshown as held at at least three points -to obtain de-: sired tightness.Thus, thelower forwardportionoflthe shield 14 is secured as by fasteningmeans SO' t the fender 10,. the lower rearportionpf ;shie ld.14issecured as by fastening means 52 tothat portion ,17 ofthe fender,coverv 16which extends into the rear portion of the wheel.

angular side flanges 78. Supported by the strut 7.0 for rotational'andreciprocal; latch operational movement is a torsion-latch rod '39,: Thislatchrod 80 is preferably formed from a single, piece ofsuitable gauge.wire. or rod stock of a 'materialhaving adequate resilience for thepresent purpose. A; proitimately quarter inch steel stock of suitablegrade has'been found satisfactory. At its upper'end the torsion latchrod'80 is formed with an. angular latching head 82,while atjts, lowerend portion, the torsion rod is formed to pro-l vide an angularhandle84, preferably extending to the opposite side of the-body ofthe latchrod from the latch-' ing-head 8 2.

Rotaryandreciyirocal guiding ofthelatchlrod till is accomplishedtthroughthe medium of a ,guidefand journal access, opening12, and a. centralupperportion ofthe shield 14 braces an, adjacent portionof :thefendenstiffening flange.

1 3., Desirably, as shown,;tl 1e: fingerv 516 ;is formed as a; separatemember as from heavysheet-metal, and. secured asby' rivets 58 to thefender shield 14, desirably:to the forward edgeof the inturnedstitfening flange 14s of. the. fender shield ,14. I Desirably, thefinger'56 is provided. toengage the fender-flange 13 alongalongitudinallyextending run thereof, permitting the fender;shielcl tobe;manipulated rearwardly a slight amount after engagement. elf-the. finger56 .to permit engagement of the. fasteningv means 52 nowto bedescribed.t r 3 1 1 .;:Adesirable form 'of-fastening meansSZ isshown in Figure 6.i As there shown, such means desirably includes arearwardly extendingfinger-like member such as a'pin 60- carried by thefender shield .l4 and,adapted to extend through an opening 62 provided in the inturned flange16b at the forward edge of the cover 16. The pin 60 is shown asformed asan elongation ofa head 64 of a screw. 66 extending through an opening 68provided in the inturned rearward flange 14c of the fender shield 14 andheld thereto as by lock washer 69 and nut 69a.

:sIn establishing the-connection provided by: the securing means-.52,theforward securing means islfirst obtained. aszbychooking finger;56overthe fenderflangelilas above: described, and then .:the'. pin :60 ofthe :rear securing means; 52rissbrought :into registry with thefender-.1 carver: opening; 62;'; thern the-fender. shieldr14 :isdesirably'slid; rearwardlyi unti1 '1he'pin'60 projects' intothegopening; 62."; i I

car 86 shown as struck integrally from the'bodyof a e strut .70'andproviding a. journal orfbearing aperturefitl through which the body ofthe latch rod'80' extends'be low the latching head 82.; Adjacent to thelower "end of the :latchrod 30, a bearing is provided by thesuperimposed foot flange 74 and the lower fenders'hield'r'ein forcingflange l ie, those flanges being]formed"within; wardly openingregistering; slots 90. A retaining plate 92 having an outwardlyopeningslotffl t is shown as see: cured. by the rivets 76t0 thefootflange 141, The out warclly; opening slot 94, of the retaining jplat'eIf)2- and the inwardly opening slot. 90,;of the superimposed flanges 74and 4e thus'cooperateto eifecttiate fthje lowerbear ing for thelatchrod80. V 4., #After the .forwardvandrearward securingjmean s. 50

its handle 84 to cause I I engage againstand over the inturnedstiffening flange 13a 1 of the fender 10. Then the latch handle fi lisjsecured by hooking a terminal lug 84a thereon over an. .PW llYturned. extension 14c of the flange. 142 along thelovver edge of thefender shield 14. Latch release: is effected by unhook ingandrotatin'ghandle 84 to caiise the latching head 82 to bedisengaged from.the fender flange 13a. 1

It will be noted that the spacing between the u'pp'er'j bearing ear 86and the lowerv fiange'bearing seq-947m the latch rod 80 isl ess than thespacing between the latch. ing head 452 and,the handle .84 .so t'hat thel latch rod is' afforded a sufficient range of vertical or reciprocalnioveof the' fender shield 14.

m t t nen it the: am t .mQY m h P F; latching position, as shownginFigures. 2 and 3,"-'to'- a lowered position lwhe rein the latching head82 will clear the. fender flange 13a to permitmounting and=demountingProviding a cushioned. and rattle-freecarry of sfender shield 14 aresealing or gaskeestrip'"means/now :tofi be. described. I Such strips aredesirably lformed from a flexibly resilient'rnateriali such'as'rubbe'r,or an appropriate; rubbensubstitute 1 v ,Thus; a: resilient? String .5.i front edge of cover panel 16. The;str ip ll ijs shown a s;

hanging.

55 generally .U-shaped in cross-section, its walls embracing a forwardlyturned extension 16b of the cover flange 16b, and held thereto as 'bystaples 96. The rear flange 14a of shield panel 14 seats against theinner wall of the strip 95..

For like purposes, a cushioning strip 97 is provided along the forwardand upper edges of shield panel 14. As shown, the strip 97 is generallyU -shaped in cross section, with its walls embracing the downturnedflange 14d running along the top-edge of shield 14, and extendsforwardly along the forward flange 14b of the shield 14. Along the outerwall of such strip 97 there extends an outwardly extending flange 98adapted to underlie the upper portion 14a of shield 14, and in theregion of strut 70 to underlie the upper flange 72 of strut 70, andalong the forward edge of panel 14 to underlie the forward shield flange14b. Means such as a retainer wire 99 or the like desirably extendsalong the strip 97 at the junction of the flange 98 and the adjacentstrip-wall to retain the cushioning strip 97 assembled onto the shield14.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description of my inventionaccording to an exemplary preferred embodiment, considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, that the present inventionprovides a new and improved fender shield construction and assemblyhaving the desired advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing itsintended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out and otherswhich are inherent in the invention as described.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be efiectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fender shield assembly, comprising a multiplicity of members, oneof which provides a fender shield adapted to generally overlie the wheelaccess opening of the associated fender, and another of which provides afender cover adapted to generally overlie a portion of fender adjacentsuch wheel access opening, said cover comprising a panel like memberprovided along its forward edge with an inturned flange, a portion ofwhich is turned forwardly to provide a forwardly directed verticallyextending flange means, cushion means provided along the outer face ofsaid flange means, an adjacent portion of said fender shield beingprovided with an inturned flange means for hearing against said cushionmeans when the shield and cover are assembled onto the associatedfender.

2. A fender shield assembly, comprising a multiplicity of members, oneof which provides a fender shield adapted to generally overlie the wheelaccess opening of the associated fender, and another of which provides atender cover adapted to generally overlie a portion of tender adjacentsuch wheel access opening, said cover comprising a panel-like memberprovided along its forward edge with an inturned'flange, a portion ofwhich is turned forwardly to provide a forwardly directed verticallyextending flange means, resilient cushion strip means of a generalU-shape in cross section being provided for said flange means, opposedwalls of said strip means embracing said flange means and securedthereto, the adjacent portion of saidfender shield being adapted to seatagainst said strip means when the shield and cover are assembled.

3. A fender shield assembly, comprising a multiplicity of members, oneof which provides a fender shield adapted to generally overlie the wheelaccess opening of the associated fender, and another of which provides afender cover adapted to generally overlie a portion of tender adjacentsuch wheel access opening, said cover comprising a panel like memberprovided along its forward edge with an inturned flange, a portion ofwhich is turned forwardly to provide a forwardly directly. verticallyextending flange means, said fender shield having a rear end portioncooperatively engageable with said cover at its forward edge, and saidfender shield being "6 provided on its rear end portion with an inturnedflange means for .bearingtoward said vertically extending flange meansof the cover when the shield and cover are as.- sembled onto anassociated fender.

4. In a fender and fender shield assembly, a tender having a downwardlyopening wheel access opening, :and a :fengler cover and shield assemblyincluding .a cover panel fixedly secured to the fender and partiallyoverlapping one end portion of the wheel access opening, said fendershield being dimensioned .to overlie the remainder of the wheel accessopening with an end pontion of the fender shield adjacent to andarranged to provide with the portion of the cover that overlaps thewheel access opening a continuous panel effect, means detachablyconnecting the adjacent end portions of the panel and shield, meansdetachably connecting the opposite end portion of the shield to thefender, and means carried relatively moveably by the fender shieldengageable in response to manual actuation with the fender at the top ofthe wheel access opening and releasably manipulable by movement relativeto the fender shield and the fender for detaching the fender shield.

5. In a fender and fender shield assembly, a fender having a wheelaccess opening, a fender cover overlying a portion of the fender beyondthe wheel access opening and having an end portion overlapping anadjacent portion of the wheel access opening, a fender shield forclosingly overlapping the remainder of the wheel access open ing andhaving means for detachably securin-g'the fender shield to the fenderand to said cover, and a bracket carried by the fender and projectinginto the wheel access opening and fixedly securing the wheel accessopening end portion of the cover.

6. In a fender and fender shield assembly including a fender having awheel access opening and being defined at the wheel access opening andin the portions thereof adjacent thereto with an inturned flange, atender cover overlapping a substantial portion of the fender beyond oneend of the wheel access opening and having an end portion overlappinglydisposed with respect'to the adjacent portion of the wheel accessopening, said cover having an inturned flange on a lower portion thereofunderlapping the fender flange and secured thereto, and a fender shieldfor closing the remainder of the wheel access opening and provided withmeans for detachably engaging the fender and said cover.

7. In a fender and fender shield assembly, a fender having a do wnwardlyopening wheel access opening, a cover secured in overlapping relation toa substantial portion of the fender beyond the wheel access opening andhaving an end portion lying in closing relation to a substantialadjacent end portion of the wheel access opening, a fender shield forclosing the remainder of the Wheel access opening and overlapping thefender, said fender shield having an end portion constructed andarranged to substantially match with the wheel access opening endportion of the cover with means at the adjacent ends of the cover andfender shield efiecting connection by endwise movement of the fendershield toward the cover, the opposite end of the fender shield havingmeans engageable with the lower portion of the fender beyond the wheelaccess opening and enabling relative assembly movement of the fendershield with respect to both the fender and the cover, and latching meanscarried relatively moveably by the fender shield and detachablyengageable in response to manual actuation relative to the fender andfender shield with the fender adjacent the upper portion of the wheelaccess opening.

8 In a fender and fender shield assembly, a fender having a wheel accessopening, and a cover and fender shield assembly for overlapping assemblyon the outer side of the fender and in closing relation to the wheelaccess opening, means on the fender above the wheel access openingengageable by a downturned upper marginal flange on the cover to suspendthe cover on the fender; the adjacent; lower portion :-of :the' fender.hving an inturn'ed flangezanduthecbverxshaving a'nwiinturned flangesunderlapping" ?the' fender. flange; meansfsecuring the fender and coverfiangesetdgether, andmeansldefachably r:securingrthe sfender" shield tothe' ifenden andithe cover; .i;.;:z-; 5' T1,: I .'I 7.7 .1; "'I 1 1 '119. :A; fender. shield assembly, :c'o'mprising a; multiplieity ofimeinbers, one of .whichfi provides 'Iai fender shield adapted to,generally: 'overlieitheznwheel access opening of the associated;fender," and: another of rwhibhprovides a fender. 1 cover adaptedtoggenerallyl overlie a portien of fender; adjacent: s'uchrwheel access1 opening, said: cover eomprisingsaipanel likemember provided aiongitsforwerdfedgewith. aninturnedflang'e, 'a portibn. of which is, turned;forwardly ;,to 5provide'a forwardly directed vex tieallyextendinglflange rnansgand an end poz'ti'on on References Citedin the5156i this patient-I j UNHED"SIATES PA'IfENIS' 2,609,218 Yan AntwerpSept. 2, v1952 2,654,617., Anschnetz Oct, 6,: 1953 1 2,686,062 Schatzman..Aug. 10, 1954

